The King of Silence
by Idle-Sovereign
Summary: The Princess spent all her life locked in the tower.


_**The King of Silence **_

_**By Idle-Sovereign  
**_

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Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived in the highest room of a lonely and cold tower. Her father, The King, had lost his wife with the birth of this daughter and blamed her for The Queen's untimely death. All The King wanted to do was to leave his daughter and never think of her again. He found he could not bring himself to say the words, so he cut out his tongue to spare himself the anguish. Once the deed was done, he retreated into his feasting hall on the other side of the kingdom and never came out again. If anyone ever wanted to speak to The King, then they would have to brave the dark sanctuary he had crafted for himself. He sent a letter to The Princess' aunt asking her to take the young babe to the tower and then to never wonder about her again.

As the years went by The Princess grew into a woman, lovely and bright and always alone.

Even the servants that tended her were required to do so in secret; strictly forbidden to socialize with The Princess, for this was The King's rule.

One morning, The Princess' sixteenth birthday, as the sun rose, its beams throwing bright splashes of light over the chilly room and its contents, a single crow landed on the Princess' windowsill, quietly awaiting for the young woman to awaken. It was a rather ordinary looking member of the Crow family, with inky black feathers that looked glossy in the light and black, beady eyes. This was, however, no ordinary bird; none that wait with such patience are...

The Princess finally stirred as the sun warmed her face.

"Hello, child."

The Crow's voice was quite magnanimous. He hopped slowly down from the wall that surrounded the tower and inched his way across the stone floor. The Princess stared silently down at The Crow as he made his way towards her.

"I have watched you from my nest for many years. You are too lonely."

The Crow then flapped his way onto the bed next to The Princess.

"Why did you walk over here," asked The Princess in her sweet voice.

The Crow gave her a sad look while he adjusted his wings and joined her as they both stared at his clawed feet.

"I was not always a crow. I was once human, but was turned by dark magics. Sometimes I forget what was like to walk on two legs and wish to remind myself."

The Princess thought this was a little odd, a crow who was once a human turning up in the bedroom of a neglected princess. Who was she question fate? "I must admit I am unused to company. I have little to offer."

If she were not mistaken, and it was often that she was not, The Crow seemed pleased.

"Your presence is all I seek," said The Crow as it eyed her. "I need your help."

The Princess did not know what to say to the bird. What could she do? She was locked in a tower and quite alone, but The Princess was kind and sympathetic, so even knowing there was very little she could do she promised to help him.

"All I need is for you to make a journey." The Crow continued before flapping onto her shoulder. The Princess knew only one thing about crows: they had many secrets and kept them all just in case they should need one for a rainy day.

The Crow told The Princess all the secrets he knew about her tower. At midnight she could sneak out of her room when it was left unlocked for the servants to bring in new clothes. The bird told her to wear no shoes for they made her steps echo. The Crow then said to meet him at his nest and they would go together to seek help. The Princess promised she would seek him out, then gave the feathered creature a kiss on the top of his head.

"You will be rewarded greatly for this, child."

The day passed quickly, soon giving way to another cold night in the tower. The Crow had explained to The Princess how to measure time by the journey of the moon. The Moon had been The Princess' only companion for many years and it was only fitting that it should help her now. When the moon reached the highest position in the sky, The Princess slipped off her shoes and opened the now unlocked door. The hall beyond her small room look just as cold and bleak as her imagination had always crafted it . The young girl hurried silently down the twisting stairs, ghosting her way through the only other door in the tower. She found The Crow's tree soon after. Its branches were like twisted fingers outstretched upward to the stars, bleached ivory in death. The Crow flew gracefully down on to The Princess' shoulder.

"Walk towards the falling moon, Princess. You will know when to stop."

She walked and walked and walked, but The Crow said nothing and there was nothing but an endless forest. The Princess began to despair. Had she fallen for a trap? At last, when all her body began to ache and her faith waned, the outline of a great castle bled onto the horizon.

"This is where I must go." The Princess knew, as The Crow had said.

"This is where you must go," said The Crow as she reached the large doors.

"Knock and ask for bread, child." The Princess did as she was bid and stared up at the guard that pulled open the door.

"Please, sir. I am hungry and tired. Won't you give me some bread?"

The guard looked and saw that she wore no shoes, looked very tired, and had only a bird for company.

"Come in. The King will not mind feeding a lovely girl like you." The Princess gave the guard thanks and entered the hall.

"Now you must find The King." The Crow whispered now so that the guard would not hear him. "Now I must find The King," The Princess recited.

After searching many corridors and room, The Princess finally pushed open a pair of solid oak doors to reveal a monstrous feasting hall; a large fire roared at its center. At the end of a long table sat The King. The King looked at The Princess with a smile and waved for her to come over to the table, a plate of food was already waiting for her. Once she was seated The Crow hopped onto the table and walked slowly down it, stopping just in front of The King.

"I have brought you your daughter." TheCrow said in his regal way. "I have also brought back something else which you have long wish to forget."

Suddenly The Crow melted away into black smoke and drifted up through The King's lips. The King's mouth was suddenly heavy with his tongue and he coughed at the taste of the air, at the newness of it. The Princess could hardly breath, nor could she speak while in such awe. The King rose from his seat and moved on strong legs to his daughter. He knelt down by her side and in the same voice of her old friend The Crow, he begged her to forgive him. The Princess forgave her aging father and joined him in his hall.

Never again was The King without a voice.

Never again was The Princess without love.

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**Just doing a bit of revising. Carry on. **


End file.
